Package for syringe



Filed June 21, 1966 FIG. 4

United States Patent 3,434,587 PACKAGE FOR SYRINGE Lincoln L. Ciampa, Rutherford, N.J., assignor to Becton,

Dickinson and Company, Rutherford, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,179 Int. Cl. B65d 85/54 US. Cl. 20617.5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container for a syringe which will allow the syringe to be sterilized after packaging, will maintain the sterilized condition of an enclosed syringe for a prolonged period of time and which has a curved or domed head to facilitate grasping and removing the syringe without danger of contamination of the liquid passages and injectable parts thereof. The size and structure of the container is such that it reduces the amount of cubage required for syringe storage.

This invention relates to improved rigid containers for syringes and similar articles adapted to allow sterilization of the syringe after packaging is complete and to durably preserve the syringe under sterilized conditions for prolonged periods of time. An improved rigid container is produced which occupies a reduced amount of storage space when stored in large numbers and which facilitates the quick and easy removal of a syringe without danger of contaminating liquid passages and injectable parts of the syringe.

For explanation purposes, -a syringe will be used as the article packaged within this rigid container. However, the container may be adapted for use in storing many other articles. It has been found that it is desirable to use a rigid package as a container for a sterilized syringe. This is mainly because with a rigid package, due to its increased durability, there is less danger of breakage of a container and consequent contamination during handling, shipping, and storage. This is especially true where the syringes are stored en masse in a bin or similar receptable. In such cases, they are usually randomly arranged and indiscriminately removed. Under such conditions, a rigid type of package is desired. The rigid type of package also reduces the amount of space or cubage required for storage of large amounts of syringes in a doctors ofiice, in a hospital, in a warehouse or during transportation of the syringes. When using a common type of soft package, approximately 327 syringes can be stored in a cubic foot. With the rigid type of syringe, approximately 4-52 syringes can be stored in a cubic foot, which means approximately 38 percent more syringes can be stored in the same area, The result is that more storage space is available for other important uses.

The syringe is packaged before sterilization. The lid is sealed in place and then the enclosed syringe is sterilized by radiation through the package or by gas sterilization which requires gas being forced through the lid. In the latter instance, the lid would have to be of a material which would allow the passage of gas during the sterilization process and would subsequently aid in the protection of the sterilized syringe. In addition, if the syringe is to be used in the operating room of a hospital, the sealed package may be resterilized, thereby destroying any contamination collected on the outside of the package during handling transportation or storage. The package may then be safely brought into the operating room and used.

3,434,587 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 Another disadvantage of a non-rigid package occurs when the package is opened for removal of the enclosed syringe. Often the contaminated outer edges of the package, where it has been broken, contact the enclosed syringe during removal and result in contamination of the syringe. When a rigid package is opened, there is no chance of a contaminated edge of the package coming in conatct with the sterilized syringe. However, a rigid package raises other problems of removal of the contained syringe readily and asceptically. It would, therefore, be advantageous to have a rigid package for optimum protection of a sterilized syringe, also to provide means for easy remvoal of the syringe when the package is opened without danger of contamination, and to provide a package which occupies a reduced amount of cubage during transportation and storage.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to satisfy the abovementioned conditions by providing a rigid disposable container which will help protect the sterilized syringe from contamination, one which requires less storage space, and one having a curved or domed top sealed with a lid which, when removed, is adapted to expose the top of the syringe so that it may be easily grasped and the syringe removed quickly and efiiciently.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved top closure construction for a package of this type having a peripheral lip on the curved or domed top on which a lid may be easily sealed during the packaging process and removed therefrom to gain access to the syringe.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached drawings of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the package of this invention with a portion of the covering lid removed exposing the rear end of the contained syringe;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing in phantom the lid in a partially removed position;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4 with the enclosed syringe shown in phantom.

The package of this invention is basically comprised of a conical body portion 20 and a generally rectangularly shaped head 21 adapted to receive a syringe including the rearwardly projecting end of the plunger rod. The lower end 22 of the body portion 20 is of a narrower diameter and will contain the forward extension of the syringe barrel to which the needle will be connected. The upper peripheral end of the head 21 is defined by a laterally extending lip 23 forming a surface on which a pliable plastic lid 24 may be sealed to protect the sterile syringe from contamination. Sterilization takes place after the syringe has been placed within the package and the lid has been sealed on the lip 23 by any common sealing means such as heat or pressure. Sterilization of the sealed package may be accomplished by one of various methods. For instance, radiation may be used to penetrate the package and sterilize the interior or gas may be passed through the lid. In the latter case, the lid would have to be constructed of a gas permeable material to allow passage of the gas. An example of a satisfactory material for this purpose would be paper having a density between to 300 seconds. In the former instance, the lid can be of a non-permeable type of material such :as plastic, foil or cellophane. Both types of lids are adequate to maintain the sterility of the interior of the package for a considerable length of time. The remainder of the package is constructed of a material such as polypropylene which also will maintain the sterility of the interior of the package for a considerable length of time.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the location of a syringe Within the package is shown as well as the cooperative inter-engagement of associated surfaces whereby the package will securely hold the syringe in place, thereby protecting the syringe and its sterilized condition. The change in diameter from the body portion 20 to the lower portion 22 serves to form a shoulder 26 on which the forward end of barrel 40 of the syringe is adapted to rest. The lower end 22 of the package is of a large enough diameter and conveniently receives the reduced boss or tip 41 of the barrel 40 of the syringe. A shoulder '27 is also formed where the body portion 20 of the package meets the rectangular head 21 and serves to engage with the flange 42 at the rear end of the barrel 40. The head 21 is suitably shaped and dimensioned to effectively seal the package by the lid 24 and permit the syringe to be withdrawn for use following removal of the lid 24. The head will, accordingly, have relatively short side faces 45 and long side faces 46. As can be seen, the longer sides 46 of the head 21 are not of a uniform height. Center portion 50 is of greater elevation than the outer portions 51 which are generally the same height as the shorter rectangular sides 45 of the head 21. The height at the center portion 50 of the longer rectangular sides 46 is great enough to permit the rear end of the plunger 43 of the syringe to be embraced or covered in its entirety by side faces 46 of the head 21 and lid 24. However, when the lid 24 is removed, the plunger 43 will be exposed and readily grasped while maintaining the desired sterility by merely inserting ones fingers through the inclined opening 52 between long side faces 46. Lid 24 can be easily and completely removed by merely peeling it away from lip 23. The entire removal of lid 24 eliminates the possibility of contaminated edges contacting the syringe as it is being removed from the package.

The alternate embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 and employs a modified head 21'. Essentially, the lateral lip 23 includes vertical extensions 56 which add rigidity to the head of the package and facilitates the molding process. In all other respects, the package and use thereof of this embodiment is the same as the previous described embodiment.

It should be evident to those skilled in the art that there are many other possible embodiments within scope of the invention. Basically, the invention provides an improved container for syringes and similar articles adopted to allow sterilization and resterilization after packaging is complete, to durably preserve the syringe under sterile conditions for long periods of time, to reduce the amount of cubage required for storage and to provide a curved or domed head portion which facilitates the grasping and removal of the syringe without danger of contaminating the liquid passages and injectable parts of the syringes.

Thus, the above-mentioned objects of this invention, among others, are achieved. The range and scope of the invention are defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An improved package for a syringe of the type having a barrel with a rear lateral flange and plunger rod extending from the rear thereof and a forward reduced boss, the package comprised of a rigid tubular container having an internal compartment adapted to receive the syringe, the container having a cfirst shoulder on which the flange of the barrel of the syringe is adapted to rest and a reduced end portion distal the first shoulder which forms a second shoulder adjacent the distal end portion on which the inwardly projecting portion of the barrel terminating in the reduced boss rests thereby forming cooperating surfaces in said container to hold the syringe in a fixed position, a rigid head forming an extension of the shoulder, the rigid head being rectangular in crosssection and being defined by relatively long and short sides and being of sufficient elevation in at least one portion thereof to enclose and protect said plunger rod, the central portion of the longer rectangular sides being more elevated than the shorter sides to thereby define an inclined opening between the longer sides to facilitate the grasping of the syringe in order to remove said syringe from the container, the longer sides of the rectangularshaped head include a gradually inclined edge extending from the elevated center portion to the shorter sides, a laterally extending peripheral lip surrounding upper portions of the head and extending laterally from the upper edge of the sides, said lip being horizontal at the center portion of the longer rectangular sides and sloping downward toward the shorter sides at the same angle as the inclined opening, the portions of the lip extending from the shorter sides continuing the said same angle, a flexible lid sealed on the lip, and said lid being entirely and easily removable when it is desirable to remove a syringe from the container so that said lip has an upper surface in aseptic condition to facilitate the removal of the syringe without danger of portions thereof contacting contaminating outer surfaces of said package.

2. An improved package for a syringe in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lid sealed on the peripheral lip is gas permeable.

3. An improved package for a syringe in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lid sealed on the peripheral lip is non-permeable.

4. An improved syringe package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the portions of the lip at the longer rectangular sides of the head are extended vertically to increase the rigidity of the head portion of the package.

5. An improved package for a syringe part comprised of a rigid container with an enlarged head portion on top and a tubular body portion on the bottom, said combination being at least large enough to receive and contain the syringe part so that the entire syringe part is protected, the bottom end of said container being closed and the top end being provided with a removable flexible sealed lid, said lid being entirely and easily removable and normally covering the portions of the container that the syringe part might contact as it is being removed therefrom thereby facilitating the aseptic removal of the syringe part from the container for use after the lid has been removed, said lid when positioned on said container combining with said container to form said package and maintain said syringe part in aseptic condition within said package prior to use, said head portion being rectangular in cross-section and being defined by relatively long and short sides, the central portion of the longer rectangular sides being more elevated than the shorter sides to thereby define an inclined opening between the longer sides to facilitate the grasping of the syringe part in order to remove said syringe part from the container quickly and efiiciently after the lid has been removed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,812,231 11/1957 Zar 20643 3,008,570 11/1961 Roehr et al 20643 2,966,986 1/1961 Jones 20643 3,114,455 12/1963 Claisse et al 20643 X 2,390,900 12/ 1945 Schmid 206632 2,915,175 12/1959 Diamant 206 3,333,682 8/1967 Burke 20643 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner. 

